As I’ve mentioned before, Speed Racer has been a hotly-anticipated movie in my household. I’d be hard-pressed to tell you who’s more excited about it, actually—the kids or my husband. Now it’s finally almost here and I have some good news and some bad news.

Good news first? Okay! Check out this Go Speed Weekend! contest, where a bit of creativity could land you a weekend trip to Los Angeles or other cool prizes. Entries are being accepted through Tuesday, May 13th, 2008, so you still have time to enter if you have a need for speed swag.

The bad news, I’m afraid, is that the critics aren’t exactly embracing Speed Racer with enthusiasm. The Tomatometer is running towards “rotten,” with reviewer quotes indicating that this movie is best handled with a few analgesics:

Maybe every generation gets its own “Tron.” Not to whine, but: my eyeballs were on fire.

Kyle Smith
KyleSmithOnline.com

Oh. Dear. Um… ouch?

The lure of seeing this in Imax is certainly… ummm… waning in the face of the reviews, I have to say. But after all of this anticipation… I just don’t know. We may see it anyway.

I’ll bring my sunglasses.

Dear Hollywood,

Sincerely,
The Toy Box Mommy

Seriously, people. I’m experiencing some hefty deja vu, here. Some books are meant to be enjoyed as books. Period. That’s part of their allure.

I guess Hollywood didn’t get my memo, though. Hugo Cabret is slated to become a feature film:

“Ice Age” helmer Chris Wedge has signed on to direct Brian Selznick’s magic-themed children’s novel “The Invention of Hugo Cabret” for Graham King’s GK Films, Johnny Depp’s Infinitum Nihil and Warner Bros.

“The Aviator” scribe John Logan has been tapped to pen the adaptation.

King and Infinitum Nihil’s Christi Dembrowski will produce the live-action film, which centers on an orphaned boy who secretly lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station and looks after the clocks. He gets caught up in a mystery adventure when he attempts to repair a mechanical man.

The studio is eyeing a fall start date.

I’m crushed. It’s not that I think it won’t make a good movie—it probably will—but it will be something entirely different from the experience you get in reading it, and I fear that it can’t help but somehow degrade the tale, that way. Great books should just be great books, sometimes.

I know most people disagree with me. That’s fine. Why, back in my day, we read books, and movies consisted of hand shadows made on rocks with a flashlight. Harumph.

Now, where did I put my Geritol…?

I’d never seen a graphic novel before I became a mom; never much of a comics fan as a kid (except for the obligatory comics smuggled into the cabin at camp, to be read by flashlight after lights-out), I’ve never heard of one that really piqued my interest. Even after learning more about graphic novels I sort of assumed they were just for grown-up comics geeks and didn’t explore the matter further.

And then Scholastic started their line of graphic novels and I began to see the allure, at least for kids. (Do not get all up in arms if you, an adult, enjoy graphic novels as well. That’s great. My experience thus far has only been with volumes targeted to younger readers.) As my kids devoured these graphic-laden tales I began to see how it really is a niche all its own, one that cannot be filled with just chapter books or just comic books.

And so I was, of course, delighted, to read the news that DC Comics will be bringing us graphic novels for the kiddie set:

DC Comics is teaming up with children’s book and graphic novel publisher Stone Arch Books to produce a series of illustrated chapter books based on DC’s famous characters Batman and Superman. The new line of books, called DC Super Heroes, will launch later this spring with 12 titles and publish a total of 48 titles over the next four seasons. The following season the line will add chapter books based on DC’s Wonder Woman character.

The books will feature original prose stories with illustrations by DC Comics artists. […]

Stone Arch Books President Joan Berge said basing chapter books on DC super heroes, “is just one more way to hook a reluctant or struggling reader. DC characters are well-known and of high interest to the striving young reader and we hope they will spark a growing interest in reading.”

I can’t wait to see ‘em. I don’t care how much your son dislikes reading… he won’t be able to resist the lure of these caped crusaders, is my guess.

I read the news out loud to my youngest, and he immediately started crafting a letter to Santa. You know, even though it’s May. Because as soon as he heard that Ben 10: Alien Force is being made into a video game it was a no-brainer that nothing better could possibly come along between now and Christmas, right?

Ben 10: Alien Force The Game begins five years after Ben put away the DNA-scrambling Omnitrix. With Grandpa Max missing and a diabolical Highbreed alien plot threatening planet Earth, gamers must help Ben take the Omnitrix out of retirement and lead eight different playable characters—including cousin Gwen, enemy-turned-ally Kevin Levin and five of Ben’s brand new alien forms—in super-powered battle with the intergalactic invaders. New aliens Swampfire, Jet Ray, Humungousaur, Spidermonkey and Big Chill allow Ben to manipulate fire, swim underwater, grow more than 60 feet tall, stick to walls and fly at mach speed. Players will also be able to harness Gwen’s new talent to create an energy shield and use it to protect and attack, and Kevin Levin’s ability to absorb materials like concrete, wood and metal to create an impenetrable shell on his body.

The fast-paced, 3D, side-scrolling action-adventure offers an unlimited combo system, along with puzzles and challenges that will engage players of all skill levels. The Nintendo DS version will offer alternate playable alien forms including Goop and Echo Echo, giving players additional unique powers to command and explore.

The article reports that D3Publishing will be developing the game for all major platforms, and release is scheduled for this Fall. Just in time for holiday shopping, sounds like.

I suppose it’s too much to hope for a special wii controller that’s basically an Omnitrix, right? Hey, I can hope….

There’s always just a little bit of apprehension inherent in a favorite character from childhood being turned into a star of the big screen. Will they get the story right? Will they get the casting right? Will it be the way it should be or will they blow it?

Oh, is it just me who thinks all of those things? C’mon. You can admit it. I won’t tell anyone. It’ll just be between you and me, Internet.

Anyway, this weekend’s opening of Iron Man gave me that all-too-familiar feeling of… worry. It’s such a meaty story with great characters. Have they pulled it off? Dare I check the reviews?

I dared, and then I heaved a big sigh of relief. The Tomatometer is registering unexpectedly high—94% Fresh, in fact, the last time I checked—and it appears that the hype surrounding this project may well be warranted. So far, the critics love it.

And if you’re the sort of person who loves a little backstory, be sure to check out Newsarama’s Inside the Iron Man piece by Joe Tirella, too. It’s a nice little peek into title actor Robert Downey Jr.’s journey in this project. I, for one, feel better already to know that he read decades-worth of Iron Man comics to prepare.

I guess I know what we’ll be doing this weekend….

Personally, I’ve thought it quite nice that “modern” kids’ television and films have had enough adult-worthy content to keep us doting parents from falling asleep while the kids enjoy them. This is hardly a new concept; even back in the early days of Sesame Street there were little jokes and asides and gags inserted specifically for the amusement of the double-digit set.

But last week The Guardian’s Michael Hann officially took issue with children’s films, insisting that they’re missing the mark entirely:

Now, however, too many kids’ film-makers spend too much time worrying about their adult audience, and make movies that pass the kids by. We remember the successes - the likes of Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Shrek and The Incredibles - and forget the many failures, such as 2004’s Shark Tale, which required a working knowledge of mafia movies to negotiate the sub-plots, something surely beyond pre-teen punters.

He goes on to point out movies which “require” (his word) knowledge of purely adult matters to comprehend in their entirety, then takes issue with the most basic of metrics—the run-time:

Even last year’s big animated crit-hit, Ratatouille, failed at the most basic level (not that those handing out the plaudits noticed): it was nearly two hours long, a good 20 minutes more than most of its target audience can comfortably sit through. (For comparison, Finding Nemo clocked in at 100 minutes; Toy Story at a merciful 81 minutes, offering viewers no chance to get bored.)

I’m not sure I agree, here. I mean, what age of kids are we talking about? My kids can sit through a 2-hour movie, no problem. And they’ve been able to from a very young age, I think. As for me, I do recall a couple of lousy kids’ films which shall remain nameless (ahem) during which I wished I’d lied to the kids and told them the theater was closed or the movie was sold out. Now, if I get bored, I just sit there and feel bored; if a child gets bored, maybe he acts up or cries. I guess that’s more problematic from the theater-goers point of view.

But honestly? I don’t know a kid—of any age—or a parent who didn’t love Ratatouille. Isn’t that the point, for the whole family to love it…? I’ve yet to meet the kid who says, “Oh, yeah, I liked it but it was too long!” I guess I’m saying I find Hann’s criticism a little broad.

Do you consider yourself one of J.K. Rowling’s biggest fans? Have you read every last Harry Potter book and seen all of the movies? Have you wondered what it would be like to see some of the fantastical objects and special effects from the movie up close and in person?

Boy, do I have news for you, and it’s just this—next year, you can check out Harry Potter: The Exhibition:

Becker Group, in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, today announced it will bring worldwide audiences “Harry Potter: The Exhibition,” a state-of-the-art exhibition highlighting artifacts from the Warner Bros. films based on J.K. Rowling’s beloved book series. The 10,000 square foot experience will premiere in Spring 2009 in a major market, and will appear in ten or more cities around the world throughout a five-year span.

“Harry Potter: The Exhibition” will include elaborate displays of authentic costumes, props and artifacts from popular environments featured in the films such as those from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, including the Gryffindor common room and Hagrid’s hut. During its run, the exhibit will also be updated to include artifacts from the final installments of the Harry Potter film series. The exhibition will be displayed in major cultural and entertainment venues, museums and institutions, and will be supported by a multimedia promotional effort and advance ticket sales worldwide.

You can read the entire release on the site, but this is pretty exciting news. What I’m looking forward to hearing about is how much security is required for each of these venues; Potter fans seem to me like a pretty rowdy bunch. There’s no telling who might take it into their heads to try to steal the invisibility cloak or the genuine sorting hat.

Why, I can picture touring such an event with my children, even now. “Don’t touch!” I’ll lovingly hiss, three or four hundred times….

Hi-5 fever is hardly limited to their native Australia and—after a while—here in the United States. Nope, Hi-5 has been a hot commodity in 118 different countries, with both Australian and American casts and legions of fans for both.

So the news that a U.K.-based version of Hi-5 has been commission by the Turner Network should come as a surprise to no one:

Set to air on Turner’s preschool channel Cartoonito, Hi-5 will be produced by BAFTA award-winning production company Darrall Macqueen.

Forty half-hour episodes of the U.K. local version will be produced, with casting to commence next month. Also partnering on the U.K. series is free-to-air broadcaster GMTV who will begin showing the series in 2009 following Cartoonito’s premier in 2008.

Cecilia Persson, Vice President of Programming, Acquisitions and Presentation, Turner Kids Channels said, “Hi-5 has enjoyed world renowned success and we’re delighted to commission a U.K.-produced version. Each week the series will focus on some of HI-5’s most notable themes such as music, friends, animals, family and outdoors. Underpinned with an ethos of exercise and dance, it also has positive messaging of encouraging kids to get active.

Cartoonito has already put up their dedicated Hi-5 site. I’ll confess that the cast looks odd to me—perhaps because I’m used to the “regulars” from the American cast—but I’m sure the U.K. gang will be great in their own right, too.

And don’t forget the added benefit for Hi-5 fans on this side of the pond: While these episodes are slated for Cartoonito, with Turner at the helm you have to figure that eventually they’ll make their way over here, as well. And that means even more Hi-5 goodness for us to enjoy, even though the American version of the series is no longer in production. (It’s still airing on TLC weekdays at 7:00 a.m., and of course the Ty’s Toy Box Hi-5 Store still has you covered with all the Hi-5 stuff your kids want, but this is forty brand-new episodes we’re talking about. Excellent!)

Here in my house we looked forward to the debut of Ben 10: Alien Force with something akin to reverence. “What do you think it’ll be like?” my son asked me, several hundred times.

“I don’t know, honey,” I would respond with infinite patience (ha!), “Why don’t we wait and see?” And then—right before I was going to have to duct tape his mouth shut or start wearing earplugs—the show debuted.

The verdict in our house? Well, now instead of asking what I think it’ll be, my son trails me wanting to fill me in on every last new alien and asking me which one is my favorite. (I’m supposed to have a favorite alien? This was not in the manual.) In other words, this newest incarnation of Ben 10 is an unmitigated success, so far as we’re concerned. But just to make sure, I went so far as to ask my son if he liked this better than the original.

“Oh yes!” he assured me. So I asked him why that was, and he said, “Because now Ben’s got more betterer aliens!” So, you know, there you go.

Unfortunately, not all Ben 10 fans have been quite as enthusiastic as my son. Newsarama’s Steve Fritz did a great interview with Ben 10 creator Glen Murakami because, as he put it:

In less than a half hour the first internet troll came out from under his bridge to start screaming how he hated, hated, hated Ben 10: Alien Force. Within the hour said bottom feeder was joined by a horde of others. They felt it their right to vent and mewl pitifully about the changes to the show. They called it a grand conspiracy by Cartoon Network to sell new lines of action figures. They accused all of even more heinous crimes.

Murakami does an admirable job of defending the series… not that you’d expect any less from the man behind an alien hero named Brainstorm. Go read it; you won’t be sorry.

Were you in New York City at Comic Con last weekend? I often wish I could be a fly on the wall at one of these things, just once. I imagine it to be a very special kind of nerd nirvana, and suspect that they have good snacks. Anyway.

ToonZone put up excellent coverage of the Avatar panel a few days ago, but just yesterday they added an in-depth interview with Avatar creators Bryan Konietzko and Mike DiMartino.

I’m not going to bore you with a lot of excerpts; if you’re an Avatar fan, you’re going to want to read the whole thing (probably several times). But seeing as how we were just discussing the live-action movie last week, I did want to draw your attention to this little tidbit buried at the end of the interview:

TZN: You said you have two weeks to finish off season 3. Do you know what’s next for you guys?

KONIETZKO: The one thing we weren’t joking about is that we really are helping on the movie quite a bit. Night has been very collaborative from the get-go, from the first time we ever met him. Very respectful of the project and of us. So we’re helping out a lot on that.

That should, at least, lay to rest any fears that collaboration on the project is somehow lacking or that the vision for the movie is far afield of what we fans have grown to know and love about Avatar.

(And I may not have made it to Comic Con, but I’ll admit to more than a little fangirl glee when reading all about how Bryan Konietzko hadn’t want Toph to be a girl but now she’s one of his favorite characters. Toph rocks!)